For the Visionaries & Creators

Sanctuary, Study, and Studio Immersions

The EC programs are designed for artists who seek to decouple from the superficial noise of the modern world and anchor themselves back into deep, substantive practice. This is a space of organic communion—where the shared energy of creators, nature, and the local community feeds your work.

Imagine creative immersion: working in a dedicated studio, walking through our urban farm and cutting gardens, and drawing inspiration from the seasonal rhythms and natural light of the compound. We have expanded our pathways to ensure every artist can find their sanctuary here.

 1. The Fully Funded Artist-in-Residence (AiR) Experience

Our ultimate mission is to fuel your practice and protect your focus. Through our non-profit funding model, The EC Residency is fully funded—meaning there is zero attendance cost to the awarded artists.

2. Creatively Curated Independent Residencies

For the artist who needs immediate, self-directed sanctuary outside of our traditional application cycles, we now offer Independent Residencies during our off-weeks. This self-funded path allows you to intentionally invest in your own development. You design the timeline and focus of your stay, gaining private access to our restorative studio spaces and grounds. It is a rare opportunity to gift yourself uninterrupted time and space, with 100% of your residency investment directly sustaining our non-profit mission.

3. The Rebirth: Wax, In Winter, at The EC

After a brief hibernation, our beloved three-year tradition is returning home with a renewed spirit. The last week of January each year marks the return of our signature WinterWax week-long intensive: now-Wax, In Winter. Hosted by core faculty members Kathryn Bevier, Brenda Tassava Medina, and myself, this retreat is an intimate, deep dive into the quiet power of winter studio practice. It is a dedicated space for profound technical exploration and warm community when the physical world outside slows down.

4. Looking Forward: Guest Instructor Retreats (Launching 2028)

Beginning in 2028, we are throwing the doors open to a carefully curated lineup of master guest instructors spanning varied artistic mediums. These immersive, medium-specific retreats will offer rigorous, high-level instruction designed to expand your creative vocabulary and challenge your technical boundaries within the supportive ecosystem of the compound.

For the Patrons & Champions

Join the Foundation. Build the Legacy.

True cultural movements require architectural foundations. If you believe that art and creative ecosystems are not luxuries, but are essential to the human spirit and the cultivation of an intentional society, we invite you to merge your equity with ours.

Between 2015 and 2020, we proved the power of this communal model. International artists came to the EC and left richer, more grounded, and deeply woven into Lexington’s unique creative pulse. Your contribution directly builds the operational runway to bring this fully funded experience back to life, establishing a counter-weight of beauty and depth in the world today.

Because of our newly minted non-profit status, 100% of your financial investment is tax-deductible. There are two distinct ways to champion this vision today.

1. Fuel the Engine

Every drop of momentum matters. We use GiveButter so that our global community of alumni, friends, and art lovers can choose a donation structure that works perfectly for them. Whether it is a one-time gift, a recurring monthly micro-donation, or a custom pledge, your capital goes directly into the seedbed of artist creation.

2. Join the 5×5 Foundation Circle

We are seeking 10 foundational partners—cultural advocates, business leaders, and philanthropic visionaries—to commit to an investment of $5,000 per year for 5 years. This targeted, structured funding provides the multi-year stability required to scale our infrastructure and anchor this oasis for the long haul.

• Want a founding seat at the table? Review our comprehensive Business Plan and contact us directly at pbsartist@gmail.com to explore a partnership.

Oasis of peace, color, freedom – that’s my studio at the EncaustiCastle. I love coming to work! Just by walking in the door, I feel better.

A designated workspace is imperative for any creative person. and the EncaustiCastle provides that need with spaces suitable for a variety of creative expressions. The community here is supportive and interested. 

The EncaustiCastle has space. Space to pursue ideas and visions. Space to learn and grow. Space for community, with an assortment of experiences and support. Space to walk the grounds, visit flowers and fruits, distract oneself or refocus. Space for creation or to just be.

Artist, Marta Dorton

The EncaustiCastle Artist-in-Residence (AiR) Experience

The EC Artist-in-Residence program is designed for artists who want to step away from the noise of the everyday and dive deep into their practice. This is a space of “organic communion”—where the shared energy of creators, nature, and the local community feeds your work.

Imagine two weeks of total creative immersion: working in a dedicated studio, walking through our USDA Organic urban farm and cutting gardens, and drawing inspiration from the seasonal rhythms and natural light of the compound.

• Fully Funded Residencies: Our ultimate mission is to fuel your practice. Through our non-profit funding model, The EC Residency is fully funded—meaning there is zero attendance cost to the awarded artists*.

*some restrictions apply; see FAQ and Rules & Regs

• Premium Studio Supplies: We are currently designing our spaces with the high hope and anticipation of partnering with Enkaustikos, Ampersand, and Golden to ensure your studio is fully stocked with world-class, premium mediums and paints.

• The Schedule: We host two artists for each intensive two-week periods in May and October.

Upcoming Application Cycles:

• May 2027 Residency cohort: Applications open October 2026

• October 2027 Residency cohort: Applications open January 2027

Ready to find your focus?